32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time
Making a Spiritual Communion is particularly fitting for those who cannot receive the sacrament in this time of pandemic. In making our communion spiritually, we are joining with Christians everywhere, to be nourished by the one who tells us, ‘I am the Bread of Life’. In making a Spiritual Communion, you may wish to pray all or part of the following, as you are able.
You may wish to find a space for prayer in front of a cross, a candle, or in a special place. You might choose to make your Spiritual Communion at a particular time of day. Reflect on the day and on your relationships.
- What good things have come from God today?
- Where have I fallen short?
- What might I do tomorrow?
✠In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
TURNING TO GOD
When we have lacked generosity towards others,
et us confess our failure and shortcomings:
I confess that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May almighty God have mercy on us, ✠ forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
THE COLLECT FOR THE DAY
Almighty and merciful God,
graciously keep from us all adversity,
so that, unhindered in mind and body alike,
we may pursue in freedom of heart
the things that are yours.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM 145(146):7-10
It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,
who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry,
the Lord, who sets prisoners free.
My soul, give praise to the Lord.
It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,
who raises up those who are bowed down.
It is the Lord who loves the just,
the Lord, who protects the stranger.
My soul, give praise to the Lord.
The Lord upholds the widow and orphan
but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever,
Zion’s God, from age to age.
My soul, give praise to the Lord.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION John 15:4,5.
Alleluia, alleluia!
How happy are the poor in spirit:
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL - Mark 12:38-44
In his teaching Jesus said, ‘Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes, to be greeted obsequiously in the market squares, to take the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets; these are the men who swallow the property of widows, while making a show of lengthy prayers. The more severe will be the sentence they receive.’
He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the treasury, and many of the rich put in a great deal. A poor widow came and put in two small coins, the equivalent of a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury; for they have all put in money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on.
HOMILY
In today's Gospel,, Jesus puts the scribes down. He says they wear odd clothes
and make long prayers in order to get noticed; and they want to be noticed
because they love being honoured. They also prey on widows.
Although Jesus noticed the widow, she wasn’t trying to get noticed.
Widows tend to have little money and less power. A person who preys on
widows is really dishonourable. But the scribes are dishonourable even just in
striving for honour, aren’t they?
Here, Jesus singles out a widow for honour.
Poor as she is, she is giving from the little she has
in order to help those who are needier than she is.
Jesus praises her and points her out as an exemplar of goodness.
To be praised by Jesus is to be honoured indeed!
So how did that widow get this singular honour?
The first thing to notice about her is that she wasn’t striving for honour,
as the scribes were. Although Jesus noticed her,
she wasn’t trying to get noticed.
And the second thing to notice about her is
that she wasn’t trying to disdain honour either.
The only thing she was trying to do is to help those in need.
And so her behaviour shows the solution to the puzzle about honour.
The only honourable thing is to love the good.
THE PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
Heavenly Father all things come from You.
Help us to recognize the gifts of hand, head and heart,
and to use them in Your name.
May we, members of Your Church,
encourage and support one another in faith and in action,
confident that we are upheld by Your eternal love.
Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
As we fail in many ways to care for Your creation,
may You inspire in us a determination to honour
the rich gifts of our natural world.
Help us to share and care for the many resources
we depend upon, and may new skills and understandings
lead us to a sustainable future. Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
In these challenging times we pray for the leaders of the world
that they might act with wisdom and justice.
May they use their talents to seek co-operation and harmony,
both nationally and internationally,
so that Your peace and truth will prevail.
Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We thank You for the many charities which nurture
the talents of those who volunteer
and provide much needed relief and support
to those in difficulty,
and as the demands on their services increase
may support for their work grow.
Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We remember Father, the many and varied talents
used in the world of medicine. We thank you for all those
who have chosen to use them in caring for the sick.
Be with them Lord, especially in this time of pandemic.
Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We bring to you those for whom we have been asked to pray;
we ask that they know the comfort of Your presence
and may Your love fill their lives with hope and healing.
Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Loving God, we pray for those who have recently died
and ask You to bring comfort to all those who mourn.
We also remember those whose anniversary falls at this time.
Grant us, with all who have known You in their hearts,
a share in Your eternal kingdom.
Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We ask Mary, Mother of Jesus and Mother of the Church,
to offer our prayers with her own, as we say
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Keep us, good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy
in this time of uncertainty and distress.
Sustain and support the anxious and fearful,
and lift up all who are brought low;
that we may rejoice in your comfort
knowing that nothing can separate us from your love
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
At the Saviour’s command
and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
grant us peace.
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life.
Whoever comes to me will never be hungry,
and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’ John 6.35
I adore You, Lord Jesus, in the Sacrament of Your love,
the ineffable Eucharist.
I desire to receive You into the poor dwelling that my heart offers You.
While waiting for the happiness of sacramental communion,
I wish to possess You in spirit.
Come to me, O my Jesus, since I, for my part, am coming to You!
May Your love embrace my whole being in life and in death.
I believe in You,
I hope in You,
I love You.
(Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val- The Vatican Website)
“Look, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,I will come into him, and will dine with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:
Lord, you stand at the door of my heart and knock.
You wait for me, and only I can let you in.
I believe and trust in you, and ask you now to fill me with your presence.
Feed me spiritually with your body,
and unite me in your blood,
that I may be your blessing t
o a world in need.
(Christchurch Cathedral, Oxford.)
ASKING GOD’S BLESSING
May God sustain us, and all those I love,
with comfort and peace; and surround us with light and joy,
both in this world and the next:
and may the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, ✠ and the Holy Spirit,
come down upon us and remain with us always. Amen.
THE ANGELUS
The angel of the Lord brought tidings unto Mary. And she conceived by the Holy Ghost.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy word. Hail Mary. Holy Mary.
And the Word was made flesh. And dwelt amongst us. Hail Mary. Holy Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray. We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts,
that as we have known the Incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ
by the message of an angel, so by his ✠ Cross and Passion
we may be brought unto the glory of his Resurrection;
through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us go forth in peace.
Thanks be to God.
The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil,
and keep us in eternal life. Amen.
Comments